TVNZ Kidzone24 will feature trusted educational and inspiring content for pre-school children in an advertising-free environment. TVNZ Kidzone24 will air 24 hours a day on the SKY platform from 1 May.

Chief Executive Rick Ellis is delighted that SKY has made it possible for TVNZ to extend the popular Kidzone brand beyond the two hours that are available on public service channel TVNZ 7.

“Kidzone has been an increasingly popular collection of programming, providing educational and entertaining content for young New Zealanders, with a significant amount of locally produced programming.

“It is fantastic that we are now able to offer a commercially-viable, expanded Kidzone channel, on the SKY platform.”

The TVNZ Kidzone24 schedule features a strong focus on local programming including existing favourites like Kidzone with Kayne which features presenter Kayne Peters and offers opportunities for young viewers to think and learn about the world around them. Other local shows include Buzzy Bee and Friends, hilarious sketch-comedy show The Giggles and from the creative minds of the Academy Award-winning Weta Workshop, The Wot Wots.

TVNZ Kidzone24 will also feature exciting new content including Guess with Jess (the popular cat from Postman Pat) which will allow children to learn about science and nature and Babar And The Adventures of Badou – a show centred around Babar’s eight year old grandson, Badou and speaks to the importance of diversity, acceptance and strong family values.

The channel will be located on SKY Channel 046, within the stable of family channels and will be available as part of the SKY Basic Digital Package. Select content will also be available on iSKY.

The first official poll to survey voters since news broke of the police investigation into Darren Hughes shows Labour and its leader have escaped unscathed from the controversy, with Phil Goff’s preferred Prime Minister rating up 4 points to 11% – his highest ever rating as leader.

But Labour remains twenty points behind National in the Party Vote and the results show National could easily govern alone.

“Labour will be relieved that the Darren Hughes saga has had no impact on its party vote,” One News Political Editor Guyon Espiner says.

“This will also give Phil Goff a boost given many commentators predicted his demise after his handling of the incident. The brutal truth does remain though that Mr Goff’s is still only getting a fifth of the support John Key has and Labour is twenty points behind with only six months until the election campaign.”

PARTY SUPPORT – PARTY VOTE

National 54% (Up 3% from mid-Feb poll)

Labour 34% (Up 1%)

Green Party 6% (Down 2%)

NZ First 2.7% (Down 1%)

Maori Party 1.4% (Down 1%)

ACT NZ 1.1% (Steady)

UNDECIDED VOTERS

Party Vote 9% (Down 3%)

PARLIAMENTARY SEATS

National 67

Labour 42

Green Party 8

Maori Party 5*

ACT 1*

United Future 1*

Progressive Party 1*

* Assuming electorate seats are held

PREFERRED PRIME MINISTER

Key 55% (Up 7%)

Goff 11% (Up 4%)

Peters 3% (Steady)

Helen Clark 1% (Down 1%)

The ONE News Colmar Brunton poll was conducted between 2-6 April, it surveys 1000 eligible voters and has a margin of error of (+ or –) 3.1%

The last ONE News Colmar Brunton poll was conducted between 12-16 February.